Bring Me to Life
by Lady Black Widow
Summary: Response to The Seanfhocal Circle challenge 2. Joren's Ordeal featuring bad!Kel. Yes, it is a song fic.


Bring Me to Life

**Disclaimer**: Nothing I ever write ever belongs to me, this included. I'm posting this on , which pretty much implies that it's not mine, don't you think?

Just checking…

_How can you see into my eyes_

_Like open doors_

_Leading you down into my core_

_Where I've become so numb _

_Without a soul_

_My spirit sleeping somewhere cold_

_Until you find it there and lead it back home_

Joren stepped into the Chamber quietly. It looked like the inside of his rooms he shared with his knight-master as a squire. Everything was present and in place—his small bed, his sword, his Keladry, his armor…

Kel.

He turned suddenly, not wanting to be alone with her. The solid door, already most of the way closed, shut with a soft _snick_ as he reached to stop it.

She sat upon his bed, secretive smile upon her face as she cleaned his sword. When the noise reached her ears, she glanced up with a surprised look. It quickly relaxed into something far more personal. "Joren," she murmured. She reached for him and looked perturbed when he retreated, back against the door.

_Wake me up inside_

_Wake me up inside_

_Call my name and save me from the dark_

_Bid my blood run before I come undone_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

She looked up at him, hazel eyes twinkling. She slid gracefully off the bed and approached him leisurely, seemingly enjoying the look of fear in his eyes.

He couldn't move. His thoughts slowed down to a complete stop. She was so close, close enough to reach out and touch, close enough to grab, close enough to take her and make her his own…

_Now that I know what I'm without_

_You can't just leave me_

_Breathe into me and make me real_

_Bring me to life_

She touched his cheek. The touch, feather-light as it was, left a vivid purple and blue bruise on his skin immediately. "Joren," she laughed as he flinched. "You act as if we've never touched before." She pulled him closer, ignoring the colorful bruises blossoming on his arms.

He tried to resist, but he was suddenly powerless. As she lifted her face for a kiss, he pushed her away roughly, sick at the small part of him who wanted nothing more than to have her.

_Wake me up inside_

_Wake me up inside_

_Call my name and save me from the dark_

_Bid my blood run before I come undone_

_Save me from the nothing I've become_

_Bring me to life_

Kel released him with obvious disgust. He fell to the floor in an inelegant heap. "You are spineless, Joren of Stone Mountain," she said mockingly. "You fear me, you hate me, yet you want me so badly you can think of nothing else. I am your nightmare."

_Frozen inside without your touch without your love_

_Darling only you are the life among the dead_

"Please," Joren rasped. He knew he as not supposed to talk while in the Chamber, he knew and did not care. "Please Kel, I did not understand before. You do deserve your shield, you will make a better knight than me. Just, please…I don't want to die alone…"

Her face twisted. "You lie. I can see your heart, cold as it is. You don't want to die alone because you want others to think I killed you," she hissed. Her face turned ugly as she continued. "You said I was too weak to earn my shield. You didn't think I'd ever become a squire. Now look at me. I'm more of a man than you are, you pathetic thing." She pulled him to his feet with unnecessary force. He cried out as he felt his arm shatter.

He cried. He begged. He did everything he could think of to convince Kel to save him. He cursed her, gave her promises to leave her alone, said he would love her for all of her days. She merely looked at him, watching emotionlessly as he broke down in front of her.

_All this time I can't believe I couldn't see_

_Kept in the dark but you were in front of me_

_I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems_

_Got to open my eyes to everything_

_Without a thought without a voice without a soul_

_Don't let me die here there must be something more_

_Bring me to life_

It was useless. He could feel his heart pumping futilely, his lungs gasping for oxygen that was no longer there.

_If you refuse to bend, then you shall break,_ a cold voice said all around him. The words echoed in his head long after he was alive to hear them.

**Author's notes**: This is a direct result of Kitty's urging to do the Seanfhocal Circle challenges. I picked one and got it done! This is the shortest it's ever taken me to write a fanfic (about an hour and a half). I think it actually took longer for me to pick the song than it did to actually write the thing.

Wow, this fic got a lot of reviews! I'm happy now!

warrior of tortall – I just randomly thought 'So what's Joren's greatest fear? Kel?' and the idea went from there! Thanks!

Sora Icefreeze – I'm currently making a sequel/companion piece to this! I hope you read it!

Mustang Gal – I love the irony of Kel being what destroyed Joren after he tried so long to destroy her. I'm glad you caught that too.

the FLAMER – Yes. Evanescence. It's one of my favorite songs so I don't really care when it's from. And since you didn't mention anything else, I'm going to assume you liked the fic.

Kitty Ryan - points finger accusingly She made me do it! Thanks for making me!

Opal Soul – You're so sweet! Thank you!


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